Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur (pronounced Yome KEY-poor), also called the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It's observed with a 25-hour period of fasting, and prayer in the synagogue.

The focus during Yom Kippur is on sins between us and God, not sins against other people. To atone for sins against other people, you must seek reconciliation with those people, and right the wrongs you committed, if possible. And that needs to be done before Yom Kippur.

At the end of Yom Kippur, God's judgment is sealed. This day is your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.

Agenda Today:
1. Reflection
2. Honor the fasting
3. Confession
4. Atonement

1. Reflection:
Yom Kippur is a day to reflect on the past year and ask God to forgive our sins against God. I have some conflicting feelings about this day!

I believe that a sin is anything that is counter to Love. I acknowledge that I am not perfect, that I have done harm, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes through pettiness or impatience.

I acknowledge sins of excess, waste, and abuse of the earth, I acknowledge my part in the economic war against third-world countries. I acknowledge my blind acceptance of privilege and ease, and my unthinking racism. I seek Light for my next step in living a better life.

I think that God hears my apology as I make it. God feels it as I feel it. It is the inner Light of God, when I heed it, that leads me to make the apology, and leads me to try to be a better person day by day. I am not separate from God - God is in me and with me.

So I think that atonement is an ongoing process: The Light within me gives me the power, the grace, and the guidance to atone as I go, to grow - to Love better, be more patient, work against racism, change my buying habits and reduce my carbon footprint. It’s a process, an adventure, and I get the next piece of Light when I am able to heed it.

That said, it's good to reflect today on the big picture, and how I'm progressing.

2. Honor the fasting:
At Yom Kippur, every jewish person over the age of 13 is expected to fast, if they are able. Fasting begins before sunset tonight and ends after nightfall tomorrow. Most Jewish kids will take the day off school, and adults will not work.

I don't personally fast on this day, but I will honor those who are by giving attention to God as I eat my meals.

3. Confession:
One part of the Yom Kippur service is a confession of the sins of the community, where everyone recites a list of sins ("we have been treasonable, we have been aggressive, we have been slanderous..."), interspersed with prayers of petition for forgiveness.

4. Atonement:
The concluding service of Yom Kippur is called Ne'ilah. It lasts about an hour, and the ark – where the scrolls of the Torah are kept – are left open to symbolize that the Gates of Heaven are wide open to prayers.

This is considered the last chance to atone for sins before the end of the holiday and is sometimes referred to as the closing of the gates. The shofar is blown at the end of Ne'ilah, symbolic of the trumpet blast of the call to repentance.